United Nations Headquarters

The United Nations is an international organization whose goal is to “preserve international peace and security, promote self-determination and equal rights, and encourage economic and social well-being.”

The United Nations Headquarters is comprised of four buildings:

The General Assembly Building – the heart of the UN with an assembly hall that seats 1,800 people.

The Conference Building – where the various councils (i.e. the Security Council and Economic and Social Council) meet.

The Secretariat Building – which houses the 7,400 international civil servants and other employees that work at the UN.

The Hammarskjold Library – dedicated in memory of the second Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, who was killed in a 1961 plane crash.

Interesting Facts:

The 185 flags in front of the United Nations Headquarters represent each member state in alphabetical order, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

The United Nations is technically not on United States soil – it is on international territory. For this reason, it has its own security force, fire department, and post office.

Business is conducted at the UN in six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.